Derby County (H) - We couldn't make it four... could we?

[roversfan99]

24 minutes ago, Amo said:

It would be madness to scapegoat Rhodes for our failure to get promoted but we looked a better TEAM with King/Rudy leading the line. It’s notable that Rhodes was on the bench when we turned over Swansea and Stoke in the FA Cup. Goal poachers are a dying breed and strikers are expected to contribute more to the team’s overall performance than just hitting the back of the onion bag. Experienced bosses like  Strachan and Lambert had his number. Rhodes would’ve been a fantastic supersub but at £8m there was no justifying that. 

Them 2 games are the exception to the rule, against Premier League teams who perhaps dont always treat the FA Cup as top priority, who (admittedly due to Josh King) both played more than half with 10 men. In the main, there was no way that King, who often flattered to deceive and was forever injured, should replace our prolific goalscorer at the time, it is easy to look at their career trajectory since and suggest that but ultimately no one is arguing that King is not the best of the 3 now, but it is irrelevant.

Rhodes' post Rovers struggles have been with teams not playing him regularly, Boro initially rotated him and his confidence seems at an all time low.

The managers you mention are hardly the oracle, we dont know if Lambert himself authorised the Rhodes sale but it seemingly was to give him the flexibiility to his own team, packed full of loans, very short term orientated and ultimately with minimal success, before going on to fail in a couple of jobs after. Strachans time as Scotlands manager was a failure as have the managers since, no players even ones far better than Rhodes have flourished. Cairney couldnt get close to the team either.

The importance of goalscoring is being totally underestimated. Dacks performances have often been questioned this season, to an extent very fairly and similarly to Rhodes, but hes the only goal threat we have, and he keeps scoring goals, therefore like Rhodes his place is IMO unquestionable.

[Nelsonthedog]

7 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Them 2 games are the exception to the rule, against Premier League teams who perhaps dont always treat the FA Cup as top priority, who (admittedly due to Josh King) both played more than half with 10 men. In the main, there was no way that King, who often flattered to deceive and was forever injured, should replace our prolific goalscorer at the time, it is easy to look at their career trajectory since and suggest that but ultimately no one is arguing that King is not the best of the 3 now, but it is irrelevant.

Rhodes' post Rovers struggles have been with teams not playing him regularly, Boro initially rotated him and his confidence seems at an all time low.

The managers you mention are hardly the oracle, we dont know if Lambert himself authorised the Rhodes sale but it seemingly was to give him the flexibiility to his own team, packed full of loans, very short term orientated and ultimately with minimal success, before going on to fail in a couple of jobs after. Strachans time as Scotlands manager was a failure as have the managers since, no players even ones far better than Rhodes have flourished. Cairney couldnt get close to the team either.

The importance of goalscoring is being totally underestimated. Dacks performances have often been questioned this season, to an extent very fairly and similarly to Rhodes, but hes the only goal threat we have, and he keeps scoring goals, therefore like Rhodes his place is IMO unquestionable.

Dack is another one, like Rhodes, who will not attract prem league interest as his all round game is currently too limited. He needs to look to grealish if he wants to make a prem league player and up his game.

Edited December 3, 2019 by Nelsonthedog

[simongarnerisgod]

dack is a completely different type of player than grealish,he`s more a player who would benefit from playing just behind a main striker,a la peter beardsley,he`s fantastic at finding space for himself but is`nt a player who will cover every blade of grass,nothing wrong with that imo,think you`re being unfair on him,he definately has the ability to play at a higher level

[Nelsonthedog]

Just now, simongarnerisgod said:

dack is a completely different type of player than grealish,he`s more a player who would benefit from playing just behind a main striker,a la peter beardsley,he`s fantastic at finding space for himself but is`nt a player who will cover every blade of grass,nothing wrong with that imo,think you`re being unfair on him,he definately has the ability to play at a higher level

I'm never satisfied with a player that goes anonymous for games at a time as the team loses. Of course, the team plays well, and Dack flourishes. Very like Rhodes actually.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Dack is a step up from Rhodes on many fronts. 

Dack scores goals but is also our main creative outlet. He makes things happen. Not saying he’s ready for the Prem but I think he’s got a far better chance of making it than Rhodes ever had.

Rhodes’ record since leaving Rovers speaks volumes. 

[Nelsonthedog]

Just now, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

Dack is a step up from Rhodes on many fronts. 

Dack scores goals but is also our main creative outlet. He makes things happen. Not saying he’s ready for the Prem but I think he’s got a far better chance of making it than Rhodes ever had.

Rhodes’ record since leaving Rovers speaks volumes. 

He doesn't really create.. our shots on target record is still very poor if we are supposedly a team aiming for a top 6 finish.. we are heavily reliant on our defence keeping clean sheets to win games.

[DE.]

Just now, Nelsonthedog said:

He doesn't really create.. our shots on target record is still very poor if we are supposedly a team aiming for a top 6 finish.. we are heavily reliant on our defence keeping clean sheets to win games.

In fairness we've scored two more goals than Forest who are 4th and two less than Leeds who are 2nd. Our problem isn't that we need to keep a clean sheet, but that too often we concede at least two goals. We've let in 27 goals despite scoring 26, by comparison Forest have only conceded 14 and Leeds 10. If we want to progress then we need to sort out our defence. The last couple of games have been an improvement but we had this earlier in the season when Del first switched to CB, then it eventually regressed back to normal. In terms of goals scored we're more or less on par with the teams above us, but not so much in terms of goals conceded.

Now granted we do have an issue with shots on target which needs to be addressed, but defence is still a bigger problem at the moment.

[Nelsonthedog]

Just now, DE. said:

In fairness we've scored two more goals than Forest who are 4th and two less than Leeds who are 2nd. Our problem isn't that we need to keep a clean sheet, but that too often we concede at least two goals. We've let in 27 goals despite scoring 26, by comparison Forest have only conceded 14 and Leeds 10. If we want to progress then we need to sort out our defence. The last couple of games have been an improvement but we had this earlier in the season when Del first switched to CB, then it eventually regressed back to normal. In terms of goals scored we're more or less on par with the teams above us, but not so much in terms of goals conceded.

Now granted we do have an issue with shots on target which needs to be addressed, but defence is still a bigger problem at the moment.

I don't know.. I think to be promoted, sometime you have to win 3-2 or 4-2.. I don't think were capable of that yet.

[DE.]

Just now, Nelsonthedog said:

I don't know.. I think to be promoted, sometime you have to win 3-2 or 4-2.. I don't think were capable of that yet.

Sometimes yes, the problem is that most of the time we have to win 3-2 or 4-2 because we concede two goals so often. It can be done - Norwich as an example last season - but it's the exception rather than the norm. I think from recollection Norwich had conceded the most of any club to go up automatically last season since the First Division was renamed to the Championship.

Interestingly I believe Mowbray's West Brom were up there in terms of being automatically promoted with a lot of goals conceded, too. Might even have been second behind Norwich.

[Stuart]

Have to laugh at people on here sometimes.

Rothwell has started our last three games and we’ve won them all. We’ve won four out of the last five and the one match he didn’t get on the field - we lost! Yet he’s the problem!!

People seem to be really hoping he will fail despite the we success and even excitement we enjoy on the pitch, whenever he has a sustained run in the side. You couldn’t make this up!

[Nelsonthedog]

Just now, Stuart said:

Have to laugh at people on here sometimes.

Rothwell has started our last three games and we’ve won them all. We’ve won four out of the last five and the one match he didn’t get on the field - we lost! Yet he’s the problem!!

People seem to be really hoping he will fail despite the we success and even excitement we enjoy on the pitch, whenever he has a sustained run in the side. You couldn’t make this up!

Nobody has said he's a problem.. just overly high things expected of him for a freebee from league 1 Oxford utd.

Edited December 3, 2019 by Nelsonthedog

[Stuart]

Just now, Nelsonthedog said:

Nobody has said he's a problem.. just overly high things expected of him for a freebee from league 1 Oxford utd.

That’s really not relevant. Players step up divisions all the time. Free or otherwise.

I’ll trust what I see with my own eyes. He’s an unpolished diamond and we are lucky to have him.

Meanwhile Rovers are talking up Ben Gladwin like he has just joined the club and is about to be unleashed. Now there’s a “free signing” we should be worried about.

[DE.]

Just now, Stuart said:

That’s really not relevant. Players step up divisions all the time. Free or otherwise.

Pukki from last season being a prime example. He was a free transfer from Brondby I believe.

[robbo_rovers]

Getting the train down for this one from the Lake District and bringing a few mates with me.

 

Don’t really know Blackburn town centre very well. Does anyone have any recommendations for pre and post match drinks? Preferably somewhere which will have the football on. 

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

7 minutes ago, Stuart said:

That’s really not relevant. Players step up divisions all the time. Free or otherwise.

I’ll trust what I see with my own eyes. He’s an unpolished diamond and we are lucky to have him.

Meanwhile Rovers are talking up Ben Gladwin like he has just joined the club and is about to be unleashed. Now there’s a “free signing” we should be worried about.

Rothwell has had several very average games this season, last weekend being one of them.

Im glad he’s getting a run of games however and think he’s got plenty of potential, but let’s not take it too far.

It’s been equally significant that Lenihan has returned to the team and Nyambe is now playing RB instead of Bennett.

[Stuart]

Just now, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

Rothwell has had several very average games this season, last weekend being one of them.

Im glad he’s getting a run of games however and think he’s got plenty of potential, but let’s not take it too far.

It’s been equally significant that Lenihan has returned to the team and Nyambe is now playing RB instead of Bennett.

Three wins in three starts and has probably just saved an ungrateful manager’s job.

[simongarnerisgod]

18 minutes ago, robbo_rovers said:

Getting the train down for this one from the Lake District and bringing a few mates with me.

 

Don’t really know Blackburn town centre very well. Does anyone have any recommendations for pre and post match drinks? Preferably somewhere which will have the football on. 

don`t bother with the town centre,it`s a s**th**e,you`de be better either getting off the train at mill hill or getting a taxi from blackburn station(it`s only a 10 minute journey) and drinking near the ground,lots of pubs on livesey branch road and plenty of places to eat

[Nelsonthedog]

25 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Three wins in three starts and has probably just saved an ungrateful manager’s job.

Rothwell did next to nothing at Stoke.. who are you kidding that it's all down to him? Bennett won that game with a terrific run and cross.. but I'm sure you'll be ungrateful.. your man wasn't even on the pitch..

Edited December 3, 2019 by Nelsonthedog

[robbo_rovers]

48 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

don`t bother with the town centre,it`s a s**th**e,you`de be better either getting off the train at mill hill or getting a taxi from blackburn station(it`s only a 10 minute journey) and drinking near the ground,lots of pubs on livesey branch road and plenty of places to eat

Cheers for the advice. Just had a look - Moorgate Arms looks fairly decent? Think we’ll get off at Mill Hill like you mentioned. 

[simongarnerisgod]

Just now, robbo_rovers said:

Cheers for the advice. Just had a look - Moorgate Arms looks fairly decent? Think we’ll get off at Mill Hill like you mentioned. 

i think the wellington is currently closed,moorgate arms ok just a bit  small inside,white bull is ok,lord raglan is er,interesting!!,brown cow and fox and hounds get a bit crowded sometimes

[bluebruce]

3 hours ago, Nelsonthedog said:

He doesn't really create.. our shots on target record is still very poor if we are supposedly a team aiming for a top 6 finish.. we are heavily reliant on our defence keeping clean sheets to win games.

8 assists his first season, 7 last season. 1 so far this season but plenty of time to fix that. Not counting his League Cup assists (3 last season, 2 this).

16 league assists in two-and-a-bit years. I think that's an acceptable amount of creating for a lad who also notched 42 league goals in that time.

You're also right about our shots on target being poor. Not Dack's fault if players can't finish what he sets them up for.

[Bigdoggsteel]

12 hours ago, Stuart said:

Three wins in three starts and has probably just saved an ungrateful manager’s job.

I presume you are talking about Lenihan? 

[BankEnd Rover]

Same team as Stoke but Gallagher up top for me. No way should Rothwell be dropped. 

[Admiral Nelsen]

4 hours ago, BankEnd Rover said:

Same team as Stoke but Gallagher up top for me. No way should Rothwell be dropped. 

I'd like to see Gally get gametime, but this is a game made for Graham in my view. His cleverness and touch is so important in building a decent platform for the rest of our midfield. If we're in front, bring Gally on in the second half and keep Graham sharp for the midweek games.

Completely agree about Rothwell. Seeing him track back as well as create against Brentford, he has to stay in the side if he keeps that standard up.

Edited December 4, 2019 by Admiral Nelsen

[joey_big_nose]

11 hours ago, bluebruce said:

8 assists his first season, 7 last season. 1 so far this season but plenty of time to fix that. Not counting his League Cup assists (3 last season, 2 this).

16 league assists in two-and-a-bit years. I think that's an acceptable amount of creating for a lad who also notched 42 league goals in that time.

You're also right about our shots on target being poor. Not Dack's fault if players can't finish what he sets them up for.

Dacks a very weird combo. An attacking midfielder who is actually more of a goal poacher. Not sure I've ever seen anyone like him really in the recent gane. Doesn't score from outside the box, doesn't assist that often. Probably more like a "second striker" a la Sheringham or Beardsley than an attacking mid as others have said. 

I always feel like he is way more effective if he is playing right up alongside the striker, not in amongst the midfielders.